PRODUCTIVE SAFETY NET, SHOCKS AND FEMALE HEADED HOUSEHOLDS’ STRATEGIES: CASE OF MAIZEGZEG WATERSHED IN NORTHERN ETHIOPIA Frehiwot Tesfay Desta ii Productive Safety Net, Shocks and Female Headed Households’ Strategies: Case of Maizegzeg Watershed in northern Ethiopia Frehiwot Tesfay Desta Supervisor: Dr.ir. Gerrit-Jan van Uffelen A Thesis Submitted to Wageningen University and Research Center In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in International Development Studies July, 2010 Wagenigen University and Research Center, Wageningen iii ABSTRACT In poor areas risk of sliding down to chronic food insecurity is part of daily life. This is more serious for female headed households where these households are subjected to shocks of recurrent drought, disease and other natural disasters. Long term ex-ante mitigation and ex-post coping strategies are an essential element of their concern. Therefore, based on the premise that people who live in marginalized environment develop different mechanisms to cope with shocks, this study examined how Productive Safety Net beneficiary and non beneficiary female headed households in two tabias of Maizegzeg watershed, northern Ethiopia, do deal with shocks and explored the perception of these households towards the programme. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were implemented. The quantitative method used primary data collected based on an open and closed ended questions. The qualitative method involved focus group discussions with key informants and an in depth interview with selected households. The study showed that the major on-farm ex-ante mitigation strategies used by female headed households were diversification of crops to be grown and saving of crops in kind (leaving of cereals in their pots for difficult times). The off-farm ex-ante mitigation strategies were petty trade, sale of ‘siwa’ and wage labor. Moreover, the research showed that the main ex-post coping strategies were reducing frequency and quantity of meals, exchange of food with family/neighbors, borrowing money and sale of livestock. Difference in terms of mitigation and coping strategies of households was not observed between the two tabias studied. The government of Ethiopia has provided Productive Safety Net to beneficiary households to better mitigate and cope, but this paper concludes that in the study area the programme didn’t make difference for beneficiary female headed households’ responses to shocks. Finally, the study found that majority of the female headed households in the study area, are aware about the objective of the programme and its impact at the community level. However, due to variations in the limits on the number of household members permitted to take part in the Productive Safety Net Programme, its impact at the household level is perceived differently. Keywords: Female Headed Households, Productive Safety Net Programme, Shocks, Ex-ante mitigation strategies, Ex-post coping strategies, Perception, tabia, Maizegzeg watershed, Northern Ethiopia iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Above all, I am eternally thankful to the Almighty God for His priceless grace and help in my daily life and for giving me courage to pursue my M.Sc. studies. I gratefully acknowledge the Netherlands Organization for International Cooperation in Higher Education (Nuffic) for giving me the opportunity to follow my study in the International Development Studies Programme at Wageningen University and Research Center. Many thanks also to my study advisor, Dr. Sudah Loman for providing a supportive and academically stimulating environment, while I was in Wageningen. I am highly grateful for my supervisor, Dr.ir.Gerrit-Jan van Uffelen for his guidance, support and trust throughout the entire thesis process. Heartfelt thanks goes also to Dr. Alula Pankhurst and Dr.ir.Gemma van der Haar for providing valuable insights for my research at its inception. I would like to express my thanks to Dr. Guush Berhane Tesfay for his comments and advice on my early work on the proposal. My special thanks also goes to fellow PhD researcher of Development economics group, at Wageningen University, Mr. Quarmine William from Ghana, who was always ready to help me and gave me the opportunity to spend time with him to discuss the Statistical Package for social Science. I would like to extend my appreciation to the staff of Woreda Degua Tembien Office of Agriculture and Rural Development, in particular Elias Taye and Hagos Gidey for their invaluable cooperation and efforts in organizing the field work and mobilizing households for interview. I am deeply beholden to staff of Woreda Degua Tembien REST Coordination office, in particular Ato Getahun Tadelle, who was always ready to help me with my problems on transportation to the field. I would like to thank to the staff of Ethiopian Catholic Church Social and Development Coordinating Office of Adigrat Mekelle Branch, in particular Ato Assefa Shiferaw and Alem Tilahun for their cooperation during the field work. I would like to thank the respondents for their hospitality and willingness to take time to complete the survey questionnaire. v My special thanks also to my best friend Abrhet Kidanu for her heartfelt care and encouragements during my work. I am also thankful to my friend Amina Abdelkadire who shared my feelings and thoughts during my stay in Wageningen. A lot of memories with you, Amina! I would like to express my thanks to Dawit Weldelibanos for his kind and valuable information during the whole thesis process. A very special appreciation goes to my dear friend Gebrekidan Tesfay for his encouragement, and advice in the course of my study period. Many thanks also to my cousins in Addis for their encouraging telephone calls during my field work. Finally, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my father the Late Tesfay Desta, whose advice has always been belling in my mind in the absence of him and my mother Kiros Hagos for sending me to school. In particular, my best gratitude goes to my mother for raising me with love and courage in the absence of my father. Without her affection and priceless support, I would not have brought my dreams true. Thanks Kirosey!! I am very grateful to my lovely sisters, Alemtsehay, Rishan, Tsige, and Mulubrihan and my lovely brother Solomon for their moral and encouragement throughout my studies. Rishu, you are truly a special young sister. I do love you Rishu! Thank you all for having been there for me. I thank you! Frehiwot Tesfay Desta Wagenigen University and Research Center, July, 2010. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT.................................................................................................................................. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENT............................................................................................................ v TABLE OF CONTENTS ........................................................................................................... vii LSIST OF TABLES..................................................................................................................... ix LIST OF FIGURES ...................................................................................................................... x LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ..................................................................................................... xi 1. General Introduction................................................................................................................ 1 1.1 Background ........................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Problem statement................................................................................................................. 4 1.3 Research Questions ............................................................................................................... 6 1.4 Thesis outline ........................................................................................................................ 6 2. Literature Review ..................................................................................................................... 7 2.1 Household Food Security...................................................................................................... 7 2.1.1 Concepts and Definitions of Household Food Security ................................................. 7 2.1.2 Food Security Indicators and Measurements................................................................ 10 2.2 Food Security Situation in the Study Region...................................................................... 14 2.3 Productive safety Net in Ethiopia........................................................................................ 16 2.3 Shocks ................................................................................................................................. 17 2.4 Mitigation and coping strategies of Households................................................................. 18 2.4.1 Mitigation Strategies..................................................................................................... 18 2.4.2 Coping strategies .......................................................................................................... 19 3. Research Methodology ........................................................................................................... 22 3.1 Description of the Study Area............................................................................................